Understanding Devil’s Lake Transitions to CATCH MORE FISH

Our Vexilar’s don’t show a person a huge picture of the water column when fishing shallow areas, in fact, sometimes the bite actually scares the bejeezus out of you.  It happens so quickly and without any advance notice by the electronics.

In comparison, when we fish in 40-55 feet of water out in the open basins of Devils Lake, we get a huge picture of the water column underneath us.  You mark, probably on average, more fish.  However, one must keep in mind, that cone is pretty big at 50 feet.  That red line could be a few feet away and not even in visual distance of your lure.

I really enjoy those deep water, deep basin days.  Cruising the open basin with no structure and no contour lines to go by, just the blind ‘throw at the dart board’ to try to hit pay dirt.  It can get frustrating, but when the bottom eruption of a Devils Lake Perch Vexilar Christmas Tree shows up at the bottom, the feeling is nothing short of electric.

We patiently await those fast approaching days of deep water Perch, as, we know they are coming.  It is inevitable on the Big Devil that some of those fish are going to keep slipping deeper and deeper.

Why?

Just as we talked about in our Summer Fishing posts, Devils Lake is a very Transitional Lake.  The fish stage in very specific areas at very specific times of the year and transition through these stages due to a number of contributing factors.

The Timber

Having said that, remember, there are ALWAYS Perch and Walleye in the Flooded Timber…

ALWAYS!

Some of those fish probably never leave it.  Flooded Timber provides a ‘middle of the food chain’ predator with everything they need, Prey for themselves and protection from becoming prey to others, (i.e. Devils Lake abundant Northern Pike).

Almost A Different Species

Then you have the transition fish.  The ones that move and migrate with different conditions under the ice.

Early Ice usually finds us up shallower: weed beds and depressions.  Those weed beds are still pretty oxygenated and filled with invertebrates and bait fish.

As the ice thickens, vegetation dies and the weed beds lose everything that makes them attractive and we see our first transition to a little deeper water, that 15+ range.

Why stop there?

That depth range holds things the Perch:

• A.  want= food
• B.  need=an optimum water temperature and oxygen level

They will usually hang in this area until something chases them out.  We believe the two biggest things are

1.  Northern Pike
2. Fishing Pressure

Lowering oxygen levels and falling water temperature probably also play a part.

Shore Line Ledges

This is the time frame we seem to be in right now.  The catastrophic rise of Devils Lake created a scenario where shorelines were eaten up by rising water.  A lot of those shorelines were nice, pretty campgrounds and homes; roads and farmsteads.

These nice human dwellings have now become favorite Perch hangouts.  The old original shoreline from the late 80’s to the early 90’s is the shoreline we are looking at right now, in that 28-35 foot range.  It seems the Perch are staging here and some will remain before the process reverses and they start moving shallower.

The Open Basin Cruisers

SOME, however, some will slip one more time.  They will start cruising the flat open basins of the lake: East Devils Lake, Black Tiger Bay, Main Bay, Six Mile Bay, all of them offer a flattened basin where the Mega Giant Colossal Perch Schools cruise for the dog days of winter, most of February and Early March.

This may be my favorite time of Perch Hunting.  This is the time of year when I have caught the biggest and most jumbos.

Our Suggestions

I would say, keep checking those shorelines, keep checking the flooded timber, and keep attacking shallow and intermediate structure for morning and evening walleyes.  But get ready, sharpen those blades and prepare yourself for the Basin Perch Search that is fast approaching.

Good Luck Out There…

Hold On To Your Rod…

and…

CATCH MORE FISH!